Electrical Sockets

[Anonymous]

I've searched through the forum to see if I could find any recommendations on where to find period style elctrical sockets for sale, or even for clues on what style of sockets people are using.
I've tried the Period House Shop in Ludlow, who have a nice range of Bakelite light switches, but the only sockets they have are normal plastic in a shade of Brown. I've seen some nice modern bronze style, but I was wondering where people bought their period fittings?
I'm not exactly sure what I want, but am hoping when I see it I'll know
I've looked on the home page - products and services, but that only seems to have light switches again !!!!

Graham

 

[Anonymous]

I reckon that unobtrusive modern ones are what you need! And plenty of 'em.

Nasty brown things with three round pin sockets sticking out of skirting boards is what I recall most people used to have. They then had plugs with extra sockets plugged into those. Messy!

Irons were often hooked up to a ceiling light socket, which trailed down of a bit of two ply twisted flex and had a similar extension. Bit dangerous and fuses frequently blew!

There are some things which you may wish not to emulate from the past...

 

[Anonymous]

Evelyn, does your statement also include that wobbly glass that you can't see through properly?

 

[Anonymous]

I can't see properly though any glass! It all looks wobbly to me! But handmade stuff is IMHO often better than mass produced. The wobbly glass on our house is perfectly OK to see in and out of, and winks in the light in a manner which flat stuff doesn't. I like my wobbly plater too, and the undulations in the roof.

But that's not unsafe is it... not sure that period sockets are safe...

 

[Anonymous]

In some rare cases, I don't think that hand made glass complies with the wind loading regulations contained in the British Standards for glass and glazing in dwellings. Where this is the case there certainly is a safety issue.

The same could also be said for any hand made glass in doors or immediately adjacent windows. I am not aware of any exemptions for listed buildings from glazing safety regulations.

I am presuming that your wobbly plate is pewter and the cutlery wooden and that you don't think this new fangled pottery stuff will catch on and you don't like metal cutlery! He He.

 

[Anonymous]

Oh, I suspect that historic fabric surviving in many buildings wouldn't pass modern tests- in fact my house wouldn't be allowed to be built now. Yet I reckon it will still be here when many a modern ticky tacky box has vanished.

I also suspect that the wiring and sockets in my house are possibly historic, as electricity came pretty late here. As did water supplies (fifties) and mains drains (not that we have that but only about thirty years I think).

We eat from scooped hollows in the table top, using our fingers.

I like cylinder glass and would prefer to keep ours intact. No reason not to really.

 

[Anonymous]

I agree about the longevity of modern housing. When I was in the sash window renovation game I was often asked how long I would guarantee windows that had been renovated. My stock answer for a victorian property was usually "Why should I guarantee something that is manufactured from an organic material that has already lasted more than 100 years and is likely to last another 100, if it is looked after"

 

[Anonymous]

But what's your opinion on electrical sockets? <IMG SRC="http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/discussing/smileys/smile.gif" BORDER=0 ALT="">

Not that I want to go back to the dark old days, I'm happy to fit new, but I want something that looks nice.

Graham

 

[Anonymous]

Well - I do think that unobtrusive modern ones may be best - the 'heritage' brass double sockets with rope twist edging are really a historic nonsense.

Have you tried Christopher Wray?

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks, I'll send my wife there, it'll give her something to do while she is away in Belfast. Although it all appears to be lighting and not sockets.

 

[Anonymous]

If you're sending your wife to Christopher Wray, you're a braver man than I am! For goodness sake confiscate her credit cards!

 

[Anonymous]

They used to do all manner of things - spare parts for oil lamps and switches and cable covered in cloth...

I'm sure that there will be other places though - a large John Lewis for example should have a goodly selection.

I have a dislike of 'heritage' designs for things - street furniture for example - where there is no historic precedent and so someone makes things with old worlde twiddeleeees and extra knobs on.

 

[Anonymous]

I couldn't agree more. If any range of any product is called "Heritage" or "Tradition" you can pretty well guarantee that it will be a vulgar, anachronistic pastiche.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm happy with the bakelite ones - after all our house was gas in the 20's - no new fangled electric things then.

 

[Anonymous]

You got sticky outy round two pin brown sockets then?

 

[Anonymous]

Ah, can't stop her I'm afraid. I sold my business and took some time off. Then helped build her business up, so she is now the bread winner whilst I'm now building up a new business and spending all my time reading this damn forum instead of stripping plaster off the walls.....

 

[Anonymous]

Are these new bakelite ones? If so where did you get them from?
I have one old sticky outie round pin one I've just removed from the kitchen.

 

[Anonymous]

It made for interesting parties when the Dansette was plugged into the light socket and had to be stood in the middle of the floor on a chair!
My mother always had the iron in the light socket - you could get adaptors so you didn't have to take the bulb out.

 

[Anonymous]

I recall many a fuse being blown when the light was on and the ironing being done!

 

[Anonymous]

That's exactly what the forum is here for. It's an excuse not to do all the things that we discuss doing.